Mantashe lambasts priest for saying Zuma is 'perfect' during prayer

Johannesburg – A reverend who spoke at a memorial for Chris Hani was lambasted by ANC secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, after he told the crowd during a prayer that Zuma was "perfect".

During his opening prayer, Reverend Joseph Maphatsoe praised Zuma saying, "Zuma is perfect, no one is more perfect than Zuma".

He went on to say that South Africans should forgive Zuma.

This did not sit well with Mantashe, who was the keynote speaker at the event, who scolded religious leaders for being praise singers. During his address, he said, "We ask you religious leaders to pray for the ANC but not be praise singers."

Mantashe then gave a tongue lashing to ANC members who had praised Zuma.

He said extreme views by ANC members were wrong. "When we debate, we debate to the extremes and the debate gets political.

"Some say Zuma must go and some say they will fight for Zuma. Both extremes are wrong. There is no duty to defend only Zuma. You defend the president of the ANC as part of the party."

His speech came on the heels of a statement by member of MKMVA's national executive committee, Mabel Rweqana, who said they would die for Zuma.

Rweqana told the crowd at Hani's memorial to stand by Zuma and defend him if need be.

"As cadres of the ANC we have to defend our president... We have to be prepared to die for our organisation," said Rweqana.

This article first appeared on News24 – see here.